Freedom and Fear
In chapter two of Michelle Obama’s latest book, The Light We Carry she shares a very personal perspective on fear.?In particular, the fear we feel when faced with something unfamiliar and strange.?As I listened to her narrate her book on Audible while quietly walking alone on the eve of our nation’s Independence Day, I found myself reflecting on the relationship between freedom and fear.?Michelle explains, “our hurts become our fears. Our fears become our limits. For many of us, this can be a heavy inheritance, carried by generations. It’s a lot to try to push back against, to try to unlearn.�If fear can limit our own freedom, can it limit the freedom of others around us??As I mother, often my fear of harm to my teenagers causes me to limit their freedom.?But when I limit their freedom, I also limit their growth.?As a leader, when I fear my team’s performance may reflect on me, I can seek to control their actions, their movements, their exposure and in doing so I limit their freedom to take the risks that will allow them to grow, maybe even beyond my own limits.?There is an even darker side of fear that limits freedom.?The fear of difference that lives deep inside of all of us which causes us to seek out sameness and leads to bias, prejudice, bullying, and worse. ?In her book, Just Work: Get Sh*t Done Fast and Fair, Kim Scott holds leaders accountable for building work environments and communities that recognize these unfair behaviors and seeks to eliminate them.?As we close June 2023, we have countless opportunities beyond June to stand with those in our communities whose freedom to be themselves may be limited by the marginalizing beliefs and actions of others.?I am fortunate to have the opportunity to be an active #ally not just during #pridemonth but every day.?On June 15th and June 19th, I was able to learn more about the historical significance of #juneteenth and to reflect on my role as a leader in advancing the freedom of others on this day and beyond.?The counter to fear is competence, understanding, and knowledge.?We can face our fear of differences by inviting others to share their stories and their truth with us.?In their stories, instead of finding differences, we will see they share our own hope for courage, our own need to love, and our own desire to belong. In hope and with love, we stand together and work together to see to it that all are free to be their full selves all day, every day. There is no Freedom, until all are FREE!?Happy Independence Day!?#freedomday #pridemonth2023 #independenceday #juneteenth2023
Thank you Denice Biocca for sharing this insightful perspective on the relationship between fear and freedom. I always found that I stop being fearful when I stop focusing on myself and start looking at the situation from the "other" perspective. It's wonderful to see that GE Atlanta remains a dynamic and inclusive workplace!
Global Executive HR Leader | Talent Shaper| DEI | CHRO | Digital Transformation & large Scale Change Management | Lean Methodology | Wharton Executive Education
1 å¹´Amazing Prespective Denice!
Ahhh this book is in my rotation like 3 books down. Pulling forward to next week. Thanks for the insight and article. Thanks for always challenging me to be better.
Compliance Officer
1 å¹´Great article! Thank you for being this important ally!
Operating Advisor and Board Member | Supply Chain Value Creation
1 年Denice thanks for the inspiring post. The reflection “there is not freedom until we are all free†resonates with me. As I look at the the ongoing murder of innocent people in the war in Ukraine, the supreme courts recent decisions eliminating women’s rights, creating more class disparity, it reinforces that everything I have taken as a given can be gone in a flash. I have a responsibility to be an #ally #friend #citizenoftheplanet to actively participate on the quest for freedom for all. I am blessed to be American and have friends and colleagues worldwide who have shared their stories with me and to join in the journey.